Kevin Bakewell: Texting and driving cannot continue in Florida

March 23, 2013|By Kevin Bakewell

There are more than 350 state traffic laws that motorists must obey on Florida's roads. But the law is silent on whether drivers can careen down the Interstate at 70 miles per hour, typing with both thumbs while holding on to cellular devices. Eyes, of course, are glued to a tiny screen.

It is a strange silence because the death and destruction is so widespread that there is no time for law enforcement to even study or measure it. However, the anecdotal and statistical evidence is piling up and crying out for action.

Nationally, deaths of 16- and 17-year-old drivers in traffic accidents in the first six months of 2012 were up a combined 19 percent over the same period in the previous year, according to a February report from the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Although the reasons are not yet clear, the increase is all the more alarming because the state and national longer-term trend is for fatalities to decline. In fact, teen driving deaths have been on a 10-year decline — at least until 2012. A report in February by National Safety Council also said overall traffic fatalities rose 5 percent last year. It's the first increase since 2004.

According to a recent statewide survey conducted by AAA, an overwhelming majority of Florida voters, 92 percent, support prohibiting motorists from text messaging while driving. According to the AAA Foundation's 2011 survey, more than nine out of 10 Americans consider texting while driving to be an unacceptable behavior.

Call, email or write your legislator and Gov. Scott. Ask them to ban texting while driving now while the Legislature is in its annual 60-day legislative session. Florida should not lag behind the nation in protecting all motorists from this senseless devastation on our roads.

Set an example in your everyday driving by refraining from text messaging and other distracting activities. It's just not worth the risk.

Kevin Bakewell, of Tampa, is senior vice president of Public Affairs for the Auto Club Group (ACG),the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation, whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety.